We’ve experienced an unprecedented amount of change in technology over the last few decades. Still, the digital transformation and acceleration rate over the previous few years is like nothing we’ve seen before. As times are changing, our society’s needs change along with it. Solutions that would have worked for businesses a few years ago must be more advanced to fit today’s needs.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the world of modular solutions. Many companies employing these solutions are stuck in the past—using modules connected through a host of wires that take up excessive amounts of space or simply don’t do what they promise.
Luckily, the next generation of modular solutions is already here for businesses across industries.
The Environmental Impact of the Modular Solutions Market—And How It is Shifting
Our last blog discussed how to circumvent supply chain issues with North American-made modular solutions, such as the Interceptor product line. But while this blog discussed the issues at large and why it is happening on such a massive scale, we’d like to dive deeper into our predictions for the electronic product market—and how businesses can prepare in these rapidly evolving markets.
Globally, modular solutions will try to become more North American-based to circumvent the global supply chain issues, but it doesn’t come without a cost. Many companies that used to buy thousands of products in bulk orders from the Asia-Pacific region now have to make smaller orders from North American-made companies. Asia has historically been the lead manufacturer and distributor of modular solutions, but many companies are rethinking their manufacturing strategy to reduce their reliance on companies in the Asia-Pacific.
While this is heavily due to overall issues and delays with shipping, there is another side of the coin—the environmental impact of creating modular solutions in Asia and then shipping them overseas. North American and European manufacturers have restrictions on the types of materials they use and on what types of emissions can be put back into the ecosystem when creating products—regulations they don’t have in countries like China.
Creating massive amounts of products with very little in the way of regulatory standards and compliance is catastrophic for the environment. This is one of the many reasons we decided to design, develop, and manufacture our entire product line in North America, while the Asia-Pacific region still accounts for 90% of the production of the world’s products.
The electronics industry has contributed to unregulated manufacturing practices and negative environmental impacts for quite some time. Electronics production relies heavily on high-emission energy-intensive processes involving many different materials. Once the product life cycle of an electronic device—such as a modular solution—ends, it becomes a waste product. One report indicates that 40 million tons of global electronic waste currently exist, and the number continues to increase yearly. Those building and investing in modular solutions should feel a sense of urgency—and responsibility—to better understand how their products and investments impact the environment.
For this reason, our modules are field-upgradable, and pieces can be replaced versus replacing the entire solution. It can be repurposed, upgraded, and expanded. If in the rare instance something fails, you can just replace a piece.
Those that run or invest in companies that have their tech products manufactured in places like China should know that the way tech waste is being handled goes beyond negative environmental impacts—it is directly affecting public health. Due to tech manufacturing in China, some areas have experienced acidic wastewater issues due to toxic gasses being released into the atmosphere as part of the manufacturing process. This is not only dangerous and startling—it’s also unethical.
So while it might seem cheaper in the short-term to buy products from China, the increased lead times (a minimum of 52 weeks for some companies) and negative environmental impacts should be enough to deter serious buyers and lead them in a more sustainable direction. When you invest monetary capital in modular solutions and electrical products, you get quality in return.
Improving Efficiency with the Interceptor Product Line
One of the many benefits of the Interceptor product line is that, unlike many similar products that claim to be industrial-rated, the Interceptor lives up to the name. When you invest in a robust system of heavily tested products, you can rest assured that it will get the job done without needing to be replaced as frequently due to its rugged tech stack.
Not all single-board computers are made alike, which is an essential differentiating factor in today’s market. When it comes to real-world applications, the Interceptor product line is adept at high-level functions in challenging environments, such as extreme temperatures (-40°C to 85°C) and significant environmental stress over long periods of time.
Knowing that your tech stack can withstand environmental stressors over extended periods is essential for any business looking to become more environmentally friendly. Simply put, purchasing high-quality products ensures fewer replacements, meaning fewer products are being ordered, made, and shipped—all factors that can negatively impact our environment.
These are industrial-rated solutions you can depend on. Contact the Interceptor by BlackPearl Technology team today and see how we can help your business.
